Plants that are ok to plant around the coop!

[Amarisus]

Me and my husband are building a new coop and run for our chickens (more chickens means we need more room

) And we wanted to plant some sort of vegitation around it to provide shade and to cover it up a bit, ya know, make it look pretty

. We were wondering what are some plants (bushes, vines, maybe some trees) that grow well all year long and are not harmful to the chickens if they get a hold of it. Any suggestions

 

[C&Rman]

We planted Honey Suckle vines with in a few days they wrapped around the wire I really enjoy them and they should give plenty of shade they also come back every year. As for flowers I planted wild flower seeds that came back every year too.

 

[BlueBetween]

I'm looking for some jasmine to plant around mine - I love the smell and think it would look nice too

 

[Ms.Frizzle]

I've had Bachelor Buttons growing with my chickens. they've never eaten it, rather scratching around it and the babies liked to sleep under/in them. I also had chives, crocus', hastas, and lilies with them, though they've left all of these alone too. They squished out/ate my lemon balm though. : /

 

[DarkWolf]

Get a nice pack of parsley seeds and plant it around the run. Depending on your location, it'll grow back year after year and what grows past the wire they will happily eat.

 

[naughtyhens]

Here's what's growing around my coop and run:
Ivy- bad for chickens but they don't eat it (mine).
Butterfly weed- again, bad for chickens but they just don't eat it.
Passion flower vine- they don't seem to eat it- grows like crazy and will cover the trees if I don't prune it back hard.
Blue dawn flower a/k/a house eating perennial morning glory- they don't seem to eat it.
Scarlet runner bean- not really where they can eat it but they are welcome to some beans when it starts flowering and setting beans. (annual, easy from seed).
Nasturtiums- number one favorite flower snack of my chickens. These are growing into the coop and the chickens eat the leaves but not as fast as the plants grow. These are easy from seed and highly recommended- pretty and the chickens love them. You can use the flowers to garnish your salads, too.
Daylilies-chickens show zero interest in eating them.
Goldenrod- just planted. Chickens don't try to eat.
Oxalis- a weed- my chickens absolutely love to eat oxalis and wood sorrel.
Campsis trumpet vine- planted some two months ago, so far chickens not trying to eat it. Should take off and cover parts of the run. (perennial).
I've heard comfrey is good forage food for chickens, just don't have any myself. I've thrown them some spearmint and it seemed to get eaten. Heard of chickens doing well with Salvias.

 

[Amarisus]

I forgot to mention we live in So Cal so it gets pretty hot and dry here, thats why shade is important but it hard to get plants that do well in the heat

We thought about honey sickle or jasmine but is that ok for chickens to eat? or are they usually good about not eating things that are bad for them?

 

[Urban Chaos]

naughtyhens, is your passion flower vine the fruit producing variety? I was considering planting this along one side of my run - thinking that any fruit that makes it through would be a nice treat. I am also wanting to plant along one side of my coop to help provide shade - ideally fast growing perennials - perhaps even ever green were on my mind ( oh heck, lets just throw in low water/heat tollerant and make it the perfect plant

)

 

[micochsl]

I live in PA and would love some ideas about what vegetation would be safe for our chickens. I need to get some plants around their coop and run for shade and to help break the wind. Any suggestions.

 

[chfite]

I have jasmine, both types, the chickens don't eat it. Grapes would be an option. Virginia Creeper does well, but the chickens don't eat it.

Chris